MEANING
To shrink back, flinch, or hesitate in fear or aversion.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- blench at the sight
- never blench
On the page
He did not blench at the threat.
She blenched at the sight of the broken bridge.
The narrator watched him blench before answering.
Nearby words
Related words
Word forms
- Base
- blench
- Past tense
- blenched
- Past participle
- blenched
- Present participle
- blenching
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- blench
- Present continuous
- am/is/are blenching
- Present perfect
- have/has blenched
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been blenching
- Past
- blenched
- Past continuous
- was/were blenching
- Past perfect
- had blenched
- Past perfect continuous
- had been blenching
- Future
- will blench
- Future continuous
- will be blenching
- Future perfect
- will have blenched
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been blenching
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
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Usage notes
Primary category: fear. Forms: blench; blenches; blenched; blenched; blenching Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Third-person singular: blenches.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
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